Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
An inquest into the death of 10-year-old Sara Sharif has been scheduled for April 2027, according to the senior coroner for Surrey, Richard Travers. Sara’s tragic death occurred in August 2023 when her body was found at her home in Woking. Her father, Urfan Sharif, and her stepmother, Beinash Batool, were subsequently convicted of her murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in December 2024 after a harrowing two-year period of abuse.
Sara had endured extreme cruelty, described as a “campaign of torture,” leaving her with numerous injuries, including bite marks, scald burns, an iron burn, and other severe wounds discovered during the post-mortem examination. During a pre-inquest review, Batool expressed a desire to give evidence via video link from prison, stating, “I am aware this can’t overturn my conviction. I am not seeking to do that, but my voice was not heard in the criminal trial.” The coroner noted that she would only be permitted to participate if her testimony was relevant to the inquiry.
The scope of the upcoming inquest remains under discussion. Alison Mitchell, counsel to the inquest, outlined possible areas of focus such as the assessment of risks to Sara from birth until she was placed with her father and stepmother in 2019, the handling of those risks by children’s services, and the circumstances surrounding the final months of her life. Other points under consideration include the reasons behind the decision not to proceed with adoption, the role of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service, the cessation of monitoring after 2019, and whether the schools and children’s services adequately responded to signs of abuse.
A prior review of the case revealed significant failures within Surrey County Council’s systems to protect Sara. On the day before her death, efforts to check on Sara mistakenly targeted the wrong address. The review criticised local authorities for not recognizing abuse risks and neglecting to investigate unexplained bruising, including her wearing a hijab that may have concealed physical injuries, partly due to fears of causing offense. It concluded that despite clear opportunities to intervene throughout Sara’s life, particularly in the final months, systemic shortcomings allowed the abuse to continue unchecked. Additionally, Sara’s uncle, Faisal Malik, received a 16-year prison sentence for causing or allowing her death. The next pre-inquest hearing is set for May 1
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.